Caster



Dec. 15, 1931. w. F. HEROLD oATER Filed Aug 50, 1950 2 Sheets$hee IN VEN TOR. WALTER F Hamlin ATTORNEY De c. 15, 1931.

26 III Z7 W. F. HEROLD CASTER Filed Aug. 30, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. NHLTER F HER 1:11.11

A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1931 WAL'1ER F. nnnonn on nnrnenroa'r, connno'rxcu'r, ASSIGNOR T nassrcxcona "TM, or nitinenronr, CONNECTICUT; IA CORPORATION onconnncmcur cesium Appl ication filed August 30.1930. Serial No. 479,034.

The present inventionrelates to casters and has for. anobject to provide a caster of very simple and inexpensive construction, and which will be reliable and eificient in operation. .It is particularly proposed to provide a combined and integrallyformed pintle, "yoke and axle structure adapted'in the assembledrelation to .assemble and retain the caster wheel. It is further proposed. in the illustrated embodiment to form the same from wire of semi-circular cross-section, adapted in the assembled relation to constitutea cylindricalpintle, and sodisposed'in its axle forin- 7 in relation in the wheel as to provide a cylindrlcal bearing surface supporting the load.

embodiments of the invention are shown in claims.

In the drawings Fig. "l is a side. elevation of a caster, ac-

cording to one embodiment of the invention.

tobe employed with the'caster. j

' Fig.2 is a side elevation of a socket adapted -in vertical section engaged thereon.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional'view taken along theline of Fig. 3, the socket being removed. W- -1 r Fig. 5 isfa front elevation, showingthe parts of the caster beforeassembly the washer being shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing parts assembleth'and showingin dotted lines the relation of the washeras it is engaged over the enlarged end the pintle. V 7 '1" f Fig. 7 is a front elevation, partiallyin cross-section, ofa modifiedfform fot the invention. r Q Fig. 8 is a-iront elevation ofanother modification. i

Fig. 9 isa front elevation of a further modification.

V Fig. 10 a verticalsectional view thereof. .yFig. i s a front; elevation, partially. in

' responding partsfthroughoutg the several fig- V gaging within the socket.

.beneath the head a rpintle. 4, a 7

InFigs. '5 andz6'I haveshown the preferred 100 I section, of a further modification before com- 'plete assembly of the parts.

Fig. 13is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. llis a vertical sectional View taken along the line 14-14, of. Fig. 13. I

Similarreference characters indicateycor- 'u'res of the drawings.

Referringto the drawings, and more particularly to Figsi 1 to 6 thereof,the embodiment of the invention shown-therein co'mprises a combined and integrally formed pintl'e,yoke,'and axle, produced from a single .With the above and other objects in view piece of wire of semi-circular crosssection.

, The wire is bent upon itself-with the fiat sides the accompanying drawings, .and these em-u bodiments willbe hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto,'; and the in vention will be finally pointed out in the abutting to form the pintle '10, and at the outwardly,xas at 12, to'formthe top of the yoke, and then bent downwardlyat an angle, as at 13,.to form'the sidesof theyoke. The

axle is formed by bending the extremities of l the 'wire inwardly, asat'14, thelineof bending-being slightly idiagonal so that in the upright'operativeposition the semi-cylindrical surface is. disposed .insuch relation inthe central bearing hole 15 of the wheel 16 as to form a full bearing surfacesupportingnthe load. The parts are adapted tote held in assembled relation by nieans ofa ybaring washer 17, snuglyengaged over the lower end of the'pintle, and having a flange 18 for en- The socket illustrated "s of the so-called grip-neck type comprising a tube 19 having a base plate 20 secured at its lower end, this 00 plate being provided with a pronged flange 21' for driving into theunde'r. surface of a drilled leg, the upper end ofethe tube being split. at diametrically opposed points and bent inwardlyto form pintle retaining spring portions 22, adapted tobe spread by the head of the pintle durin insertion, and to engage er insertion to retain the manner of assembling the parts. The two sides of the combined pintle, yoke and axle are bent outwardly at the fold so that the ends of the axle are sufficiently separated to admit the wheel between them, as shown in Fig. 5. The washer, which before assembly is cone-shaped and has an opening large enough to pass over the head 11., is forced downwardly over the pintle, bringing the two sides of the pintle and the yoke and axle portions together, as shown in Fig.6, the washer being flattened and flanged during this operation, so that its opening is reduced and snugly fits the pintle.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification in which the two pintle forming portions are provided at their lower ends with outwardly bent enlargements 23, the flat washer 24L having an opening of sufficient size to pass over the head 11 and. to fit snuglyv over said enlargements. Slight indentations 25 are formed in the enlargements, in which the washer rests, the inherent resiliency of the metalxcausing the indented portions tospring out into snug interlocking engagement with the opening'of the washer, after the latter has passed over the portion of the enlargements above theindentations.

In Fig. 8 I have shown another modification, in which the two half sections of the caster are formed separately, instead of being connected by the fold at the top'as shown in the first embodiment. The pintle forming portionslO are slightly reduced at their upper endsas at 26and are engaged by a collar 27, secured by swaging over the upper extremity of the pintle, as at 28. The collar serves both toretain the twohalves of the device together, andito constitute an enlarged headfor cooperation with the socket, and for thispurposethe outer surface of the collar is preferably rounded, as shown, to facilitate engagement with and disengagement from the socket. A bottom bearing washer 29 having a flange 30 is engaged with the lower end of the pintle and cooperates with the collar to retain the parts together.

' In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a further modification in which the-two half-sections of the caster are formedseparately and are connected togetherby spot-welding, as at 31 and 32, near the upper andlower ends of the 'pintle forming portions 10. The upper end portions of the portions 10 are bent outwardly, as at 33, to form an enlargement for cooperation with the socket. A flanged bearing washer 29 similar to that shown in Fig. 8 is engaged with the lower end of the pintle.

In Figs. 11 to 14 Ihave shown a still'further modification, in which the two halfsections of the caster are formed separately, and near their lower ends the pintle forming portions 10 are bent outwardly at. a slight angle to form enlargements 34. Indentations 35 are formed at the lower ends of said enlargements. The opening 36 of the washer 37 is of such size that it will pass over the enlargements 34: when the inner flat surfaces contiguous to the enlargements are brought together, as shown in Fig. 11. Upon bringing the upper portions of the pintle together, as

shown in Fig. 12, the enlargements are separated, so that the washer becomes snugly engaged in the indentations 35, and thereupon the two parts of the pintle are secured together by spot-welding, as at 38 and 39, the weld 38 being at the upper end and the weld 39 adjacent the enlargements. During the Welding at 38 the metal is spread by indenting, as at 40, so that an enlargement is formed for cooperation with the socket.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but itwill be obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a caster, a pintle portion, and a yoke portion, axle means of semi-circular crosssection having the rounded convex surface downwardly disposed, and a wheel mounted on said axle means.

2. In a caster, a pintle portion, and a yoke portion integrally formed of a length of material of semi-circular cross-section and constituting one side of a complete pintle and yoke, a complementary pintle portion, and yoke portion, also integrally formed of a length of material of semi-circular cross-section and constituting the other side, said pintle portions forming a cylindrical pintle in assembled relation, axle means, and a wheel mounted on said axle means.

3. In a caster, a pintle portion, a yoke portion, and an axle portion, integrally formed of a length of material of semi-circular crosssection, and constituting one side of a complete pintle, yoke and axle, a complementary pintle portion, yoke portion and axle portion, also integrally formed of a length of material of semi-circular cross-section and constituting the other side, said pintle portions forming a cylindrical pintle in assembled relation and said axle portions having their rounded surfaces downwardly disposed, and a wheel mountedon said axle portions.

4. In a caster, a pintle and a yoke comprising a single length of material centrally bent upon itself to provide a pintle, the bight being at the upper end'of said pintle, and the material'at the lower end of said pintle being bent outwardly and downwardly to form a yoke, axle means, and a wheel mounted on said axle means.

5. In a caster, a pintle and a yoke comprising a single length of material centrally bent upon itself to provide a pintle, the bight being at the upper end of said pintle, and the material at the lower end of said pintle being bent outwardly and downwardly to form a yoke, a washer engaged with the lower end of said pintle adapted to maintain the operative relation of the two sides of said pintle and yoke. p v

6. In a caster, a pintle, yoke and axle com-- prising a single length of material of semi-- circular cross-section, bent upon itself to pro-- vide a cylindrical pintle, the bight being at the upper end of said pintle, the material at the lowerend of said pintle being bent outwardly and downwardly to form a yoke and inwardly to form an axle, the axle so arranged that the rounded convex surface is disposed downwardly and a wheel mounted on said axle.

7. In a caster, a pintle, yoke and axle comprising a single length of material of semigo circular cross-section, bent upon itself to provide a cylindrical pintle, the bight being at the upper end of said pintle, and the material at the lower end of said pintle being bent outwardly and downwardly to form a yoke and inwardly to form. an axle, the axle so arranged that the rounded convex surface is disposed downwardly, a wheel mounted on said axle, and a washer engaged with the o lower end of said pintle adapted to'maintain e 80 the operative relation of the two sides of sai pintle, yoke and axle. V Y r 8. In a caster, a wheel having a center hole, and two complementary sections, each forming half of a pintle, yoke and axle, said sections adapted in their separated relation to admit said wheel between the ends of said axle sections and in their assembled relation to assemble said wheel through engagement of said axle sections in said center hole of 40 the wheel, a collarengaged with the upper ends of said pintle sections, and' a washer engaged with the lower ends, said collar and washer adapted to maintain the assembled relation of said sections. 9. In a caster, a wheel having a center hole,

and two complementary sections, each forming half of a pintle, yoke and axle, said sections adapted in their separated relation toadmit said wheel between the ends of said axle sections and in their assembled relation to assemble said wheel through engagement of said axle sections in said center hole of the wheel, said sections being secured in assembled relation by welding.

Signed at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut,this 22ndday of August, 1930. l 1

' WALTER F. HEROLD. 

